(Newser)
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The idea that Facebook helped Donald Trump become president—an idea once dismissed by Mark Zuckerberg as "pretty crazy"—now looks anything but, writes media columnist Margaret Sullivan at the Washington Post. With the latest revelation that Facebook sold ads to a Russian "troll farm," it's becoming ever clearer that misinformation spread through the site was a large factor in turning voters against Hillary Clinton. Sullivan cites a Harvard study showing that propaganda factored large in the election and that Facebook was the "indispensable messenger" in spreading allegations about Clinton no matter how thin the evidence. "Would Donald Trump be president today if Facebook didn’t exist?" asks Sullivan. "Although there is a long list of reasons for his win, there’s increasing reason to believe the answer is no."

Expect the site to continue downplaying its role, but it's time to stop taking the word of the "terribly opaque enterprise," writes Sullivan. What Facebook won't acknowledge is that it is essentially a media company, one that serves as the main source of information for many of its users. And while it makes countless editorial decisions, it "never owns them." At the New York Times, meanwhile, a story lays out how Russians created what amounts to an army of fake virtual Americans who posted false information during the 2016 election. The story calls out not only Facebook but Twitter. These two companies "essentially invented the tools of social media," but "did not stop them from being turned into engines of deception and propaganda," writes Scott Shane. (Click for the full Times story, and for Sullivan's column.)

The Post reporter forgets that until there was twitter and facebook the same scenario was played out by TV and Print News. FCC rules did not prevent 24/7 fake news for every candidate with very small retractions buried on the last pages.

Chris Farley

Sep 9, 2017 11:38 AM CDT

500 comments. jesus people.. You realize 100K in fake profiles and up votes is small potatoes. If you are going to report on this. report on the entire topic of fake accounts and fake upvotes. We can all pay for them. many celebrities do. I know that most of the comments on any Hillary article on say CNN, are fake. just click the profile. but really folks. go to google ,and type purchase fake facebook profiles, or fake upvotes. they are cheap.

Carlos Danger

Sep 9, 2017 10:36 AM CDT

Newser and Johnson never cease to amaze. I thought that right wingers had a lock on conspiracy theories but this one takes the cake. Well Done Newser - this proves that you will publish anything. Bravo!